Raindrops
by geckofan1
Summary: Zim has been acting strangely, and Dib wants to know why... Meanwhile, Zim struggles with depression and strange new feelings for his enemy... My first ZADR, be gentle!
1. Chapter 1

**...Oh my god. She's alive. That's what you're thinking, right? xD Well, the Harvest Moon fandom people anyways... I'm SO sorry, if you're looking to an explanation, I'll post an Author's Note chappie on my old stories... as for you IZ and ZADR fans, well hiya :3**

**I know, this plot is SO overdone, but don't worry, this is more of a practice story to get back in the swing of things. I'm not sure how regular my updates will be, I have the next chapter waiting for editing and the third chapter started, but after that I'm not sure... I'm in high school with a veeeery busy schedule... I'll try to update on a one to two week basis, but no promises...**

**WARNING: THIS IS BOYXBOY, HUMANXALIEN. If you don't like it, you can click that little back arrow on your browser now :3**

**Anyways, let's get to my first ZADR with an absolute fail title, RAINDROPS~!**

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><p>Dib tapped the steel toe of his boot on the slightly sticky linoleum of Ms. Bitter's room. Yes, the school system had decided to bless those poor children by giving them the same teacher every year for the rest of their grade school days. Something about creating a familiar, safe school environment. Complete bullshit.<p>

Dib's fingers drummed impatiently on the desk as he watched the thin red hand of the clock tick ever closer to the end of the day. He just wanted to get home before the storm really started. There was a thunderstorm in the forecast, and Dib sure as Hell didn't want to be caught in this one. The scythe-like lock of hair on the top of his head acted eerily like a lightning rod, as he'd discovered the last time a storm rolled through.

The sweet sound of the bell ringing graced Dib's ears. He swiftly grabbed his umbrella, not even noticing the distressed Irken invader as he left the room.

.~.~.~.~.

Zim whimpered, his lekku flat against his skull under the wig he wore. He silently cursed himself; why was it that the ONE DAY he forgot to bathe in paste, the stupid filthy planet's weather decided to take a turn for the worse? There had been a dry spell recently; by the looks of the angry grey clouds occupying the sky, Zim was pretty much screwed.

The little Irken wandered out the double doors of the skool, sitting on the top step where the rain just grazed the toes of his boots. Zim shuddered inwardly at the knowledge of just what that harmless-looking liquid could do to his insides.

Zim's lekku twitched as he noticed a figure only a few feet from where he sat. Looking over casually, he saw the Dib-human, getting ready to leave for home.

.~.~.~.~.

Dib fumbled clumsily with the strap that restrained his umbrella, fingers faltering in his haste to get home.

_I just want to get home and watch the new episode of Mysterious Mysteries I recorded. And maybe spy on Zim for a little while. Wait..._

Dib looked over and saw said alien looking distressed at the rain pounding the sidewalk. Dib's taunt died in his throat; Zim just looked too harmless, too upset to poke fun at. The pale boy frowned.

_He's stuck here until the rain passes... That won't be for hours,_ Dib noted, as the storm began to pick up.

_I'm going to regret asking this..._

"Zim... Do you want to share my umbrella?"

The little Irken looked up at Dib in surprise, his lekku shifting his wig.

"Last time you offered to share your umbrella, you ditched Zim halfway to his base," Zim stated, his eyes narrowing at his nemesis.

"Oh yeah..." Dib said softly, remembering the incident. "What if I swear I won't play any tricks this time? I won't run off with the umbrella or try to splash you or anything. A temporary truce, deal?"

Zim looked at the asphalt thoughtfully, considering his options. He could stay at the filthy Skool until the storm passed over, which would undoubtedly take hours, or walk home with Dib, who had constantly been trying to expose him and get him on an operating table for the last three years, under a temporary truce.

The choice was obvious.

"Fine then, Dib-stink. ZIM accepts your offer of protection from the foul earth acid, under a TEMPORARY 'truce'." The Irken got to his feet, dusting off his black pants. Zim put his hands on this hips, looking at Dib expectantly.

Dib had been transfixed, staring at Zim in his girlish pose. Strangely, it suited him, with his thin figure. Dib shook his head slightly, blushing, as he finally managed to open the umbrella.

Zim stuck close to Dib's side as they walked down the sodden sidewalk. The silence between the two was so thick, it was almost tangible. The air seemed to pulse with the tension their closeness created.

Dib observed his nemesis closely out of the corner of his eye, as they walked towards his base. The alien was quiet, thoughtful... The lavender contacts failing to hide the deep depression he was feeling.

_He's been acting really strangely lately... I don't think he spoke out loud once today in class. No rants about his latest plan, or how he's so superior to the human race. If I didn't know any better... I'd say he's given up._

Dib felt his heart twist horribly. He had suddenly remembered something Zim had asked him in a previous, surprisingly non-violent conversation they'd had just a few days before.

-Flashback-

_They sat on the bench in the schoolyard, the other children running around and yelling as only normal children could do. The two enemies weren't fighting for once, rather, sitting together in a blissful silence. These moments were rare but wonderful, when they could put aside their differences for a moment of peace..._

_"How long has it been, Zim?" Dib asked suddenly, looking up from his magazine._

_Zim looked up in surprise. "How long has what been?"_

_"You know. How long have you been on Earth?" Dib clarified, his head tilting sideways._

_"About three years."_

_"Three years, huh?" Dib repeated, looking up at the greyish-blue sky above their heads._

_"Mhm..." Zim sighed, looking downcast._

_"Dib?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_"W-what would you do if I left?"_

_The question caught the pale boy off guard, yanking his gaze from the sky to lock eyes with his nemesis in confusion. The smaller boy's eyes were wide with an almost innocent quality. Dib thought for a moment, unable to really find an answer for his nemesis' question._

_"W-well, I dunno. Not a lot. Why'd you ask?"_

_"No reason," Zim said, sighing. The Irken's shoulders sagged as his eyes glazed over, lost in thought once more._

-End Flashback-

Dib thought back over that conversation carefully, noting the look in Zim's eye after he had asked that fateful question.

_Has he really given up on taking over the Earth?_ Dib wondered, looking over at Zim. Zim's eyes never left the pavement, but the clouded look in his eye showed his attentions were far from the stained sidewalk.

"Hey, Zim," Dib spoke up, "I've noticed lately that you've-"

Dib's sentence was cut short as he felt a tug on his sleeve. Zim had pulled him back roughly; they'd reached Zim's base. Dib felt a blush creep across his cheeks as he realized. He was about to walk right past it.

"I can't get to my door if you're just standing there," Zim said gruffly, tugging on his sleeve again.

"Well, let's go then," Dib replied, turning to the fence. One of the gnomes turned to look at him suspiciously, Dib tensing up as it did so.

"Um, are you sure you need me to go with you?" Dib asked, his voice faltering slightly. He didn't really feel like dealing with more laser burns; the ones he'd gotten in the past were enough for him.

Zim rolled his eyes. "If I don't want to die a very painful death, yes. Come on, they won't hurt you if you're with me."

Dib followed Zim up to his door, still eyeing the gnomes warily. Zim hesitated at the door, seeming to be on the verge of saying something.

"Zim-?" Dib was cut off quite abruptly as Zim threw his arms around the boy's middle, nearly knocking them both to the ground.

"...thank you, Dib..." Zim murmured, burying his face in Dib's chest.

Dib raised his arms shakily, wrapping them loosely around the smaller boy's waist. This was _very _out-of-character for the Irken.

_He's like a little kid..._ Dib thought as he looked at the alien's cheek pressed up against the soft fabric of his old smiley tee. Zim's eyes were shut tightly, as though trying to make all the bad things go away. Dib hugged him tighter, forgetting everything around them existed or even remotely mattered.

Zim suddenly pulled away, slamming the door before Dib had even registered the movement.

_What just happened?_

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><p><strong>Laaa~! So how was it? I know Zim was probably VERY OOC, forgive me ;3; I just think Zim is adorable when he's all helpless like that...<strong>

**Zim: I am NOT helpless! Delete this immediately!**

**Me: Uh, no! I worked hard on this!**

**Zim: *cursing in Irken***

**Me:...well... yeah.**

**Read and review, please? Any flames will be used to make some hot 'n tasty s'mores :)**

**~Gecko**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ahem. Another chapter? Absolutely :3 I know, I just uploaded the first one an hour ago...**

**WARNING! SOME MINOR BLOOD/GORE IN THIS CHAPTER. ALSO MENTIONS OF DEPRESSION. DON'T LIKE, WELL, WHY ARE YOU READING?**

**Also... I said there were over-used themes in here... 'The Tallest spilling the beans'...**

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><p>Zim's lekku twitched, his eyes glazed over. GIR sat beside him on the purple couch, humming what sounded like the doom song, shoveling popcorn into his mouth. Life seemed very repetitive to the Irken nowadays, ever since...<p>

No. He couldn't think about it. Not thinking about it would make it go away, like it never even happened. The angry monkey on the monitor blinked slowly, stupidly. It was better than wallowing in depression. Even if he knew he couldn't avoid it forever... It just hurt... so much...

And then there was the Dib-human. He never understood that filthy dirt-child. His sickly pale skin, his big ugly head, his weird hair, his big amber eyes that you could just get lost in...

_Not again! Invaders need no one! I can't be feeling these things... I shouldn't... Filthy HYU-MAN confusing the Almighy ZIM! Stupid worm baby making Zim think these things!_

_Then why did you hug him today?_

The thought hit Zim like a brick. Why _did _he 'hug' the Dib-human, a HYU-MAN form of affection? He didn't understand it; he HATED the worm baby... So why was he constantly having these thoughts? Why did his squeedily-spooch flutter when they had been so close, under the umbrella?...Why did that hug feel so _right__...?_

Bad. Bad, bad, bad, that's all these thoughts could bring. Perhaps his Tallest had discovered his mixed feelings for the human? Maybe that was why they... They...

"GIR, watch the house. I'll be in the labs."

"YES, SIR!" The dysfunctional SIR unit chimed, his hand pressed to his forehead in the familiar, respectful salute. GIR then returned to the Scary Monkey show, chewing his popcorn obnoxiously loudly._  
><em>  
>Zim descended through the depths of his base, rubbing his right wrist anxiously. No one could know just what he was doing. Even if he wasn't a... Well, he still didn't need their pity. Or worse, to be deemed more 'defective' than he was already.<p>

The elevator dinged, snapping him back to reality.

Zim emerged into the medical lab, where blank, sterile surfaces greeted him. Shining silver tools gleamed from their carefully aligned positions in the trays lining the counters. Zim paused as a familiar shape caught his eye.

The small scalpel shone innocently from it's place on the counter, the only piece out of place in the room. Zim's claws closed around the handle, feeling the cold metal against his skin.

Zim's eyes narrowed, a small sigh escaping his lips. What had he come to? He supposed it didn't really matter anymore; no one really cared what he did.

_No one would care if I died down here... I'm all alone..._

Swish- the knife cut through the skin of his wrist smoothly, reopening the scars from more recent cuts. His blue blood flowed freely from the slit, running down his arm, and he fell.

_~He was floating, out of his body, watching while the scalpel clattered to the floor, and the blood dripped, dripped, dripped, staining the floor, his uniform, and slowly the sweet blackness took over his senses, everything leaving, going away...~_

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><p><strong>He doesn't die! He just passed out. If you were confused, well, Zim's pretty far gone at this point. When he cut, at first he had an out-of-body experience, like, where he could see everything happening outside of his body. Oh, and just a side note, he's left-handed :3<strong>

**Zim: When did you decide this?**

**Me: When I started my art class, my teacher was talking about the differences between the right and left sides of the human brain, like if you're more artistic, you're right-brain dominant, and if you're more logical, you're left-brain dominant. Obviously with all the weapons and advanced technology you work with, I decided it'd be fun to sort of add my own little bit in there :3**

**Zim:...makes sense... I think...**

**Me: Oh, shut up. Read and review, please?**


	3. Chapter 3

**This chapter is the last one that has really been planned out right now... I have no idea where I'll be going after this one. Actually, while writing this, I'm not sure how the chapter will end! I usually write the top note before the actual chapter, so be prepared...**

**I would like to thank EVERYONE who has read and reviewed! Your reviews make me smile :)**

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><p>Dib yawned widely, his head propped up on his hand.<p>

"Eventually the universe will implode on itself..." Mrs. Bitters droned.

_How many times have we heard this lecture, anyway?_

Out of habit, Dib looked to the far side of the room, where a certain little green alien had his head buried in his arms, his claws tracing circles on the surface of the desk. It looked like he was about to cry.

_What is UP with Zim?_ Dib wondered. _He's been acting so weird lately... He even _hugged_ me yesterday..._

Dib pulled out a sheet of paper and scribbled a quick note, folding it into a little plane before taking aim...

-

Zim jumped as a foreign object flew into the side of his head, snapping him out of his thoughts. Cursing under his breath in Irken, Zim unfolded the note.

**_What's wrong? And why did you hug me yesterday? -Dib_**

Zim hurriedly wrote his reply, folding the note into a perfect paper replica of his voot runner- how exactly, we'll never know.

**_That's none of your business, Dib-stink. And nothing is 'wrong' with the ALMIGHTY ZIM! -Zim  
><em>**  
><strong><em>Several complicated origami feats later...<em>**

_**Are you sure? You seemed really upset a few minutes ago... -Dib**_

_**I was not 'upset'. Why do you care, anyways? -Zim**_

_**Because... because... Well I just do, okay? -Dib**_

_**Well, I'm perfectly fine. Leave me alone. -Zim**_

_**Not if you're still trying to conquer the Earth! -Dib**_

The bell rang a few minutes after Zim finished reading Dib's last reply. Zim stuffed the note into his PAK and was swept into the crowd of children headed for the lunchroom, accompanied only by the rain drumming on the roof.

Zim got his tray of grayish goo and sat at his usual table, poking the supposedly edible substance with his fork. Suddenly, one of the lumps opened, revealing an eye. The 'food' blinked sluggishly, then slowly crawled off the tray, leaving a sticky trail in it's wake.

"That... was disturbing," the alien said to himself, slowly pushing the tray away from himself.

The clunk of plastic on the surface of the table caused Zim to look up; Dib sat on the seat across from him, picking up his fork and stabbing the substance before him, which emitted a loud squeak before yanking the fork out of his grasp. The goo opened an eye and glared at the pale boy.

"...Um..." Dib reached out a finger to poke the grayish lump, which was promptly swatted away with the stolen fork.

"What are you doing over here, Dib-human?" Zim asked, sounding more exhausted than annoyed. The strange fluttering feeling returned to his squeedily-spooch when Dib looked up at him, large amber eyes shining innocently.

"What? Can't I sit over here and...eat...my food?" Said food was now poking Dib's hand with the fork.

"We're enemies, Dib-thing, in case you've forgotten," Zim reminded him, stifling a sigh as the boy's attention was once again on the...living...grey...thing on the table before him, which was still attacking him with the shiny utensil.

"AAAARGH!"

Zim wasn't sure what had happened; one second, Dib was locked in mini-combat with his lunch, the next, his face had been shoved in it, while loud, obnoxious laughter came from behind him. Dib looked up, his face covered in the grey goo.

"Oops, sorry, _Dibbles,_" Torque sneered, his cronies high-fiving and clapping him on the shoulder.

"HEY!" Zim snarled, getting to his feet. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size, you-!"

Zim was shoved roughly backwards, landing awkwardly in Dib's lap, said boy letting out a surprised grunt.

"Little Dibbles needs his boyfriend to defend him; how _pathetic,_" Torque spat, grinning widely. "Let's give these two faggots their privacy."

Torque's gang walked away, leaving the two rejects to clean up the mess.

"Bastard..." Dib muttered, wiping off his glasses.

Zim, still perched on Dib's lap, grabbed a napkin from his tray and began wiping the rest of the goo from Dib's face.

"U-Um... Zim?"

"Yes?"

"What... are you doing...?" Dib asked, his face a deep pink.

"Helping you...?" Zim replied.

"C-can you please get off of my lap? I can clean myself up, thanks..." he added, as some of the other students stopped in their tracks, staring.

"Sorry," Zim huffed, getting to his feet. He crossed his arms over his chest, his sleeve tugged back to reveal bandages on his wrist.

"You don't have to get all pissy about it..." Dib said, scowling. He looked up at the alien, noticing the bandages on his arm.

"Hey... what happened to your arm...?" He asked, gathering their trays.

"H-huh? Oh... just a, er, accident in the lab, nothing important," Zim said quickly, as the bell rang once more.

"All right, then..." Dib said softly as the alien walked away, leaving him standing alone in the quickly deserted lunchroom.

_Something is most __definitely going on with Zim... I hate to say it, but he's got me worried..._

_I won't stop until I know just what's making him act so strangely._

Dib just wanted his favorite little green enemy back.

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><p><strong>Well, just a quick note here, as it's getting late and my mother is nagging me again.<strong>

**Updates may be a little slow over the next few weeks; I have four videos to finish before February 14 for youtube, and school is kicking my butt. I PROMISE I'll get to work on chapter four tomorrow, though! Digital-pinky-swear!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, guess what! Well, I'd heard that if you go to sleep thinking about a problem, you'll wake up with a solution... IT WORKS. I have up to chapter eight all planned out in my head now :3 Enjoy!**

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><p>Dib looked back and forth warily, pulling his trench coat tighter around his shoulders. It had been a week since the lunchroom incident, and Zim had just gotten quieter...<p>

_I... I need to find out what's wrong. NOW._

Dib walked quickly, a few small drops of rain already dotting the sidewalk. Zim's base came into view as he turned onto the cul de sac, striding quickly up to the door. He rapped on the door hard. The pit-pat of little metal feet were heard, and the door swung open, revealing GIR.

"Hiya, Mary! Why is your head so biiiiiiiig?" the little SIR unit asked, his high-pitched squeak making Dib flinch.

"My head's not big..." Dib muttered, before regaining his composure. "GIR, where's Zim?"

"Master's in the lab again. He told me to guard the house," GIR replied happily, tugging Dib inside.

"Master's sad. Master said he's okay, but I don't believe him. Can you make Master happy again, Mary? Pleeeeaaaase? Master needs you Mary!" GIR shouted, throwing himself on the ground and bawling. After several seconds, he picked himself back up and skipped over to the big purple couch, turning on the Scary Monkey Show.

"O...kay..." Dib said softly, walking over to the trash can (he was NOT going through that toilet), and stopped. He'd never just waltzed into Zim's lab; he'd usually either sneaked in or was dragged there by the alien himself.

"Um... Computer?" Dib said, feeling sort of stupid.

"Whaaaaaat?" The computer replied, annoyed.

"Can you take me to wherever Zim is?" Dib asked, not knowing where to look, settling on the bunches of wires that made up the ceiling.

"I can."

Dib waited a few seconds before sighing. "_Will_ you please take me to where he is?"

"'Please' always helps," the computer huffed, opening the elevator. "He's in the medical lab."

Dib stepped inside, the door closing behind him. "To the medical lab, I guess?"

The elevator descended through the bowels of Zim's base, Dib occasionally catching glimpses of different underground levels. He knew Zim's base had extended pretty far underground... but never THIS far.

There was a little _ding _as the elevator reached the right floor, and the doors opened, revealing a stark white room. There were various medical supplies on the counters, some instantly recognizable to the human, others had him wondering just what he didn't know about Irken anatomy. Dib was snapped out of his daze by a small whimper.

"Zim...?" He whispered, taking a step forward. He looked around the room warily, a flash of blue catching his eye.

There was an abandoned scalpel on the counter, bright blue blood smeared across the blade. Dib felt his stomach drop.

Another whimper. Dib turned to find Zim curled up in a corner, tears cascading down his cheeks, a choked sob escaping his lips. He was cradling his right arm, blood pouring from the slits he'd made.

Dib raced to the Irken's side, dropping to his knees. Magenta orbs met amber, the former shining with unshed tears.

"Zim..." Dib whispered, wrapping his arms around the little alien. Sobs rocked the tiny body, as Zim clung to his enemy, burying his face in Dib's chest.

They stayed like that for what seemed like ages, Dib gently rocking the alien in his arms while Zim cried into his shirt. The cuts on his arm slowly stopped bleeding, the skin around them marred with scars. Dib felt his heart twist painfully.

_I can't believe I didn't see it... He's depressed; how could I have not seen this coming? Stupid...!_

Dib waited until Zim's sobs had ceased before leaning back onto the cold floor, pulling Zim into a more comfortable position on his lap, once more snaking his arms around the alien. Zim snuggled close to the human's warmth, flinching as the cuts on his wrist stung painfully.

"Why, Zim?" Dib asked, his voice cracking slightly.

"Because, Dib-thing... I am not an Invader."

Dib froze, letting this new bit of information sink in. "But what about your mission? Didn't your Tallest send you here to conquer the Earth?"

"My Tallest sent me here to die. They didn't know there was a planet here. I'm just a defect," Zim said, another tear rolling down his cheek.

Dib carefully wiped away the Irken's tears with his thumb, thinking. Zim wasn't an Invader. Dib knew that was all Zim ever wanted to be, the best of the Irken elite, a hero. But now...

"You said 'defect'..." Dib said.

"There's apparently something wrong with my PAK."

"Wait... Isn't that like a life support system? Why didn't you catch it before?" Dib asked, before he could stop himself.

"It's not just that. My PAK... _is _me. It contains all the knowledge and personality traits an Irken needs when given at birth. It stores my memories, everything that makes me... well, Zim."

"So... If someone screwed up your PAK..."

"I wouldn't be Zim."

Dib tried to wrap his head around this concept. A mechanical pod on your back that you needed to survive? To be who you are? That got him thinking...

"That's stupid. There's nothing wrong with you," Dib said suddenly. Zim looked up at him questioningly.

"You're pushy, and arrogant, have an overly inflated ego, talk way too loud, you're psychotic, and just plain annoying," Dib said. Zim looked hurt, but Dib continued, "...but that's what makes you, you. You wouldn't be Zim if you didn't drive me insane."

"I guess that's my only real skill..." Zim murmured.

"Don't forget coming up with harebrained schemes that cause more damage than anything else," Dib added, chuckling. Zim punched his arm lightly, grinning.

"Shut up."

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><p>A few hours later, they had joined GIR on the couch, after carefully bandaging Zim's arm.<p>

"I love this show," the SIR unit chimed happily. A commercial for Bloaty's pizza was on.

No one really cared.

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><p><strong>What... were those last few lines. They make no sense.<strong>

**Yeah, I was a bit stuck for an ending for this chapter, so that's all you get :D**

**No, unfortunately, no romancing at this point. They's a just fwiends :3**

**Read and review? Pws?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Contrary to what I've been saying, I've been updating on a daily basis. Maybe I'm just overly-excited about this story... *even though this chapter is after two days lol***

**FLUFF WARNING. Yes, this chapter is so sweet and fluffy you'll need a trip to the dentist. You have been warned.**

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><p>Friends.<p>

That was the first thing.

Dib had never had a friend. Not for lack of trying, of course, but no one seemed to care about Bigfoot using his belt sander. Or the alien transmission he'd gotten six months before Zim arrived talking about curly fries. Or anything else he cared about, really.

So imagine his surprise when, despite all odds, he and his alien nemesis had become inseparable.

They walked to school together, trailing a safe distance behind Gaz, who was not beyond hitting them if they were 'too freakish'. Class with Mrs. Bitters had become more bearable, with notes flying across the front row constantly. Lunch was spent sitting together, laughing over little inside jokes and battling the ever-mutating edibles the cafeteria staff produced. They spent the afternoons at one another's houses; one had Gaz, the other had GIR, leaving both with their occasional downsides.

The second was how _clingy _Zim turned out to be. Not that Dib minded, but the way Zim clung to his arm... Or his bag... Or the sleeve of his coat... seemed to give the skool bullies, namely Torque and his gang, different ideas about their relationship. However, Dib just shrugged it off. He knew Zim had been through a lot, and he deserved the attention.

o.o.o.o.o.o

Dib awoke that Friday morning to his alarm ringing obnoxiously in his ear. He slammed his hand down on the snooze button, effectively silencing the annoying device, and reached around for his glasses. Locating them, he jammed them on and began to look for fresh clothing.

_Wait... when did I wash this one again? Ugh, never mind, it reeks... I really need to do some laundry..._

Finally finding fresh enough clothing, Dib stumbled sleepily down the stairs, getting the makings for his breakfast. He sat at the table and picked up the box of cereal, shaking it a bit.

"Gaz, did you eat my cereal?" Dib asked, looking over at his younger sister.

Gaz looked up from her latest game, her voice scratchy. "Maybe. What're you gonna do about it, _Dib?_"

Dib huffed and went to check for something else to eat, finding their cabinets bare. _B__etter add a trip to the supermarket to my to-do list this weekend..._

The sleepy teen grabbed his book bag by the door, swinging it lazily over his shoulder. "C'mon, Gaz, we're gonna be late."

"I'm not going, moron. I'm sick," Gaz called, her voice forced and gravelly.

Dib shrugged and walked out the door, a cool breeze whipping his scythe lock every which way. Zim was waiting at the end of his driveway, smiling as he caught sight of his friend.

It didn't matter how shitty his morning had been already; walking with his best and only friend made everything better.

o.o.o.o.o.o

The day passed by quickly- fewer insults were thrown their way ("Fags" was still Torque's favorite way of addressing them), lunch was quite uneventful ("I think this batch died on them," Zim had said), and things were going great.

Until the thunder started.

_Oh, crap. Did Zim bathe in paste today? I forgot my umbrella...! _Dib thought as lightning flashed overhead. A quick glance at the little Irken answered his question; Zim was shaking like a leaf, fumbling with his gloves nervously.

"Doom... Doom... Go home now!" Mrs. Bitters said suddenly, pointing out the door. Students ran flailing their arms and shrieking as they made their way out of every possible exit. Dib, Zim, and Bitters were left in the classroom.

"Green child. Large-headed crazy child. Leave or face your DOOM," Bitters hissed, her tongue flicking, eerily reminiscent of a serpent.

Dib made his way to Zim's desk, dodging the random debris left by the other students in their hasty exit, and put his hand on his shoulder. "She's right, Zim, we gotta go."

Zim looked up at Dib. "I don't suppose you have your umbrella with you...?"

Dib shook his head. "I-I left it. Sorry, Zim, I didn't know it was gonna rain..."

"Well, I'm stuck here then..." Zim said softly.

Dib frowned, feeling extremely guilty. "Let's go wait out front; maybe the rain will stop soon."

The two boys wandered outside, staying under the front awning of the Hi Skool. Dib sat down, pulling Zim with him. More thunder rolled overhead, making the little Irken jump.

"I wish the rain would just go away..." Zim whimpered, pressing up against Dib in fear.

Dib wrapped an arm around his friend. "When I was little, I was scared of thunderstorms. My mom taught me a trick to see how far away the storm was..."

Zim looked up at Dib hopefully. "How?"

"Well, you wait for a clap of thunder-" said thunder rumbled overhead, "-and you count, 'one mississippi, two mississippi,' and so on, and when the lightning flashes, you stop. The number you get to is how many miles away the storm is."

Lightning flashed overhead. Zim thought for a moment, then looked back at Dib, his cheeks tinged blue. "Could we...?"

Dib smiled reassuringly at his friend. "Sure."

The two boys waited for a moment, as the rain drummed on the awning over their heads. A loud rumble sounded a few moments later.

"One mississippi, two mississippi..." Dib counted softly. Zim joined him a few seconds later,

"Five mississippi, six mississippi-" A bright flash lit up their surroundings.

"See? Six miles," Dib said. "If we keep counting, we can see if it's getting closer or going away."

Zim nodded, relaxing slightly. They sat in silence until the next clap of thunder sounded.

"One mississippi, two mississippi, three mississippi, four mississi-" Lightning interrupted them suddenly.

"I-it's getting closer!" Zim squeaked, throwing his arms around Dib's middle. Dib blushed, but wrapped his arms around his friend.

"Don't worry; it'll pass over in a moment."

Several minutes passed, spent counting silently to themselves, until Zim relaxed.

"Eight miles. It's going away," Dib whispered into Zim's lekku. Zim nodded, leaning against Dib's shoulder.

They sat in silence until the rain stopped, the thunder fading to a rumble in the distance.

"Let's go home."

* * *

><p><strong>See? Extreme fluff :3<strong>

**I'm making a manga of this story! I have the cover up on my Deviantart page; the link should be in my profile if you want to see it.**

**Read and review; I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm listening to dubstep remixes of popular songs while writing this. It's addicting.**

**We get a little insight into Dib's (disturbingly large) head in this chapter :)**

* * *

><p>Dib lay in his bed, his eyes wandering over the glow-in-the-dark constellations glued to his bedroom ceiling. Moonlight cast a dim, silvery glow over his room.<p>

_Lately... Ever since I found Zim in his lab... I've been feeling a bit strange around him. I'm not sure what it is. My heart beats faster, and occasionally I feel like I can't breathe... What is this feeling?_

Dib concentrated on Orion's Belt, tracing the pattern lazily in midair with his finger.

_It's not... BAD, per se... I actually kind of... like it. It's... nice._

Dib's gaze moved to his bedroom window. Outside, the real stars glowed faintly in the jet-black sky. He'd grown up wondering what was out there, amongst the stars, wondering if there was life beyond their galaxy. He'd always wanted to be the one to discover those new races, light years away from Earth.

Zim was his dream come true.

But no one believed him.

_Zim is... Different. Yeah, he's an alien, but there's more than that. He's intelligent, determined, and compassionate, however much he denies it..._

Dib closed his eyes, a picture of the Irken without his disguise coming to mind. He focused on that.

_...His eyes... They're really pretty. Is it weird if I think that his eyes are pretty? They're this deep maroon color..._

Dib smiled to himself, pulling his blankets up to his chin.

_...And his__... Lekku, I think he said? Those antennae things. I've always wanted to touch one. I think they're pretty sensitive, though, so maybe I shouldn't. But they're so... TEMPTING. Ack. Maybe I'll ask him about them tomorrow. Yeah, tomorrow._

Dib smiled wider, drifting off to sleep.

o.o.o.o.o.o

Monday morning came all too soon.

Zim walked briskly down the sidewalk, hugging his arms to his chest. _Irk, it's cold... I should've worn a jacket..._

The little Irken turned onto Dib's street, speeding up. Maybe he was early and could sit inside for a minute...

The Membrane household slowly came into view. Standing at the end of the driveway was Dib, his bag slung lazily over his shoulder.

"There you are! I thought you weren't coming!" Dib said, sounding relieved.

Zim smiled in spite of the cold. "Well, I'm here now. Shower Zim with your unending adoration now!" he said, making exaggerated arm movements. Both boys burst out laughing at his ludicrous display.

"C'mon, let's go," Dib said, turning back onto the sidewalk.

They walked in a comfortable silence- well, for Dib that is.

_Damn you, erratic dirt ball temperatures! DAMN YOU!_

Zim shivered slightly, his arms once more tucked against his abdomen in a vain attempt at retaining body heat. Dib saw the movement out the corner of his eye, frowning slightly.

"Zim, are you cold?" he asked, stopping.

"N-no. I'm perfectly f-fine," Zim said, trying and failing to disguise the chattering of his teeth.

Dib rolled his eyes, smiling. "You can borrow my jacket, if you want."

"I said I was fine, Dib-thing," Zim said, pouting slightly.

"Al-righty then," Dib said, smirking slightly, walking again.

Zim stared after him for a moment, then snapped out of his daze. "Hey, wait!" Zim ran to catch up with his friend. "I m-meant to say, that, w-well, I wouldn't be ent-tirely OPPOSED to the idea-!"

"Oh, just take it, moron," Dib said, smiling. He slipped off his trench coat and draped it over the Irken's shoulders. Zim slipped his arms into his sleeves, snuggling into the leftover body heat, his face lit up with a bright smile.

Dib smiled at his friend, feeling a slight blush creep across his face. _He's so adorable..._

_That sounded totally gay, _a voice whispered.

Dib started to mentally freak out. _What the Hell?_

_What? Never heard voices in your big head before? There's a reason people think you're crazy, you know..._

_MY HEAD'S NOT BIG! _Dib thought angrily.

"Um, Dib? You okay?" Zim asked, giving Dib a strange look.

"Eh?" Dib said, coming back to reality. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Okay..." Zim said, sounding unconvinced.

o.o.o.o.o.o

Dib was alone.

He'd been sent to the counselor's office to talk about his "issues" once again, and was rightfully pissed.

_I'm not "emotionally disturbed", you old twat, _he thought to himself. He turned a corner and nearly ran smack into Torque.

"Oh, look guys, it's the _fag,_" Torque sneered. His cronies behind him laughed cruelly, pounding their fists into their hands.

"Shut up and leave me alone, Torque," Dib snapped, trying to push past them. He didn't get very far, tugged back by the collar of his shirt. (Zim, of course, still had his coat.)

"I don't think so, you little freak. You're not going anywhere," Torque growled, slamming Dib against the lockers. Dib let out a pained squeak.

"Heh heh. He's like a little mouse," one of the guys said, chuckling.

"More like a lab rat," one of the other guys replied. That got the whole group laughing.

"What should we do with the little rat, boys?" Torque asked, grinning evilly.

"Take him out back and shut him in the dumpster," the first guy suggested. "I just saw the janitors emptying the trash cans back there."

"It's where rats like _you_ belong."

o.o.o.o.o.o

Dib landed hard on his backside, groaning. He could feel his jaw throbbing, and was sure that his nose was broken.

_Just let this end already...!_

"Who's next?" Torque asked, yanking Dib up to his feet. Dib winced in spite of himself, his head hung low.

The one boy who hadn't yet had a chance to pummel him stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. Torque twisted Dib's arm painfully behind his back, his other arm dangling loosely at his side- _Probably broken_, Dib mused.

The boy pulled his fist back, and Dib shut his eyes quickly-

"Don't even think about it."

Dib opened his eyes in shock. Zim stood before him, skin sizzling where the rain made contact with his skin, the boy's fist held in place by one clawed hand. Zim quickly twisted the boy's wrist, a sickening crack followed by a yelp of pain. The boy jumped back, cradling his arm.

"What the-?"

"Someone grab him!"

The other boys rushed forward, reaching to grab the tiny alien. Zim was just a blur- the sound of knuckles hitting flesh echoing in the alleyway. Dib had long since been shoved to the ground, trying to stem the flow of blood from his nose with his good hand.

_Oh, God! The rain- what if Zim gets hurt and they get a hold of him? I can't protect him like this-!_

It seemed much longer than the minute or so it lasted- the bullies slowly falling back from Zim's blows, making a run for it. Torque, sporting some new bruises, glowered at the smaller boy before running off.

Dib got to his feet with surprising speed in spite of his wounds, using his good arm to tug Zim out of the rain and into his chest. He held the little Irken as tightly as he could, burying his face in Zim's wig.

"Don't _ever_ scare me like that again, Zim."

Zim's eyes opened wide in surprise- then the burns registered. It was raining; he'd forgotten in the heat of the moment.

"Fuuuuuck..." he muttered, hissing slightly. Dib looked down at him in concern.

"We should probably get some medical attention..." Dib said.

"And just how am I going to get anywhere while it's raining?" Zim asked.

"You're already wearing my coat," Dib pointed out. Indeed, the smaller boy still donned Dib's trench coat. Dib reached for the collar, gently tugging the jacket over Zim's head.

"There," Dib said proudly. "Now you're waterproof."

Zim smiled in spite of himself. "I've always wanted to say this..."

"What?" Dib asked, his heart beating a little faster.

Zim took a deep breath.

"TO THE LAB!"

* * *

><p><strong>Why did I just quote Jimmy Neutron of all things?<strong>

**Dib: Don't do that!**

**Me: Why? Did you think he was going to say something else?**

**Dib:... *muttering* maybe...**

**Well anyways...**

**I'm SO sorry this chapter took so long ;3; it's the longest one so far, I believe, and I had severe writer's block in the beginning... The next chapter should come a LOT faster, that is, after I get some animating done...**

**Read and review, please? It makes me a very happy person. And I've had a pretty bad week.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay. I don't deserve to live.**

**I have left you guys hanging FOREVER ;;n;; I'm SO sorry! My life got busy and then I lost internet and then I kinda hit rock bottom in my personal life so I wasn't motivated to do much of anything. But everything's okay now; I'm still really busy, but I have my own computer and internet and I'm not depressed anymore so I'm good :D**

**This chapter really wasn't supposed to be a chapter when I started typing this but then I just said "fuck it, I'm writing the goddamn chapter". Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Dib yelped as the bones in his arm were snapped back into place.<p>

"FUCKING- Ooooow..."

"I _told_ you it would hurt," Zim huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "But no, you just had to be all _manly_ and not take Zim's offer of pain medication."

"H-hey!" Dib retorted. "I wasn't!... I..." Giving up, Dib slouched where he sat, pouting.

Now it was Zim's turn to falter. He dropped his arms and sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'm sorry. Now can I please put on the splint?"

Dib looked back at Zim, still holding his butthurt facade, then grinned. Zim smiled back, lowering his gaze to Dib's broken arm as he lined up the splint with the bone. He wrapped gauze around his arm carefully, starting from the break and moving outwards. He hummed a little bit, his lekku twitching slightly.

_So cute,_ Dib thought, smiling to himself. Then, remembering his previous curiosity, he began to think.

_I wonder what his lekku feel like. Would it be weird if I just... touched one? I mean, I guess they're pretty sensitive, but I bet he wouldn't mind if I just... _Before he could finish his thought, his good arm was outstretched, unnoticed by the little Irken until one of Dib's fingers brushed ever so slightly against one of his lekku.

Zim's lekku immediately stood straight up, accompanied by a tiny chirrup. A light blue blush dusted the Irken's cheeks, and his face suddenly fell, his finger pointed at Dib threateningly.

"Do not. TOUCH. An Irken's lekku."

Dib frowned apologetically, moving his hand away. "Sorry, I was just curious..."

"My lekku are EXTREMELY sensitive, Dib," Zim said, still blushing slightly. "There are specific... well... uses, and um... meanings. Behind it. So, uh. Yeah." Zim looked away suddenly, his blush deepening. "Um. You're done."

Dib lifted his arm, unused to the weight and bulkiness of the splint. "Oh. Thanks." He looked away from the Irken for a moment, the awkwardness of the moment almost tangible. "So, um, are you okay? You didn't get burned too badly or anything?"

Zim looked back at Dib, sensing a change in subject. "Zim will be fine. No vital organs were damaged."

"Oh, okay. That's good." The silence returned once again, and Dib fidgeted slightly in his seat. _Why is it suddenly so weird to be with Zim? What exactly did I do when I touched his lekku...?_

"Um, well, Zim has many important things to be doing, and so, uh. You should probably go."

"O-oh," Dib said, a teensy bit hurt. "Okay. Sure. See you tomorrow?"

Zim glanced back at Dib, nodding minutely. "Yes. Tomorrow."

Dib stood up from the counter, standing beside Zim awkwardly. Making up his mind, he hugged the alien with his good arm, then turning to leave the medical lab.

"'Bye, Zim."

"Goodbye, Dib."

Dib got to the elevator, pausing for a fraction of a second, and smiled, stepping inside and watching the doors slide closed.

* * *

><p><strong>Ugh. Filler. Awkward, awkward filler.<strong>

**SOOOO sorry that this is what you guys have gotten after months of absence. But now I'll be able to pick up with where I left off and get to the damn romance already!**

**Dib: What exactly are you planning to do, anyway?**

**Me: Hey! I don't like giving out spoilers, you. And anyways, I don't really know where I'm going with this right now, so you get to suffer along with everyone else!**

**Dib: ...I really hate you.**

**Me: Shut up. It's 12:30 in the morning, I can do what I want.**

**Read and review? Even if it's just to tell me that I'm horrible for disappearing. It's almost December, ya know. I can use those flames.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Yeah, another gap. I'm surprised I'm not dead yet xD the truth is I've been really caught up in the Homestuck fandom so I haven't given too much thought to IZ. But now that Soapy Waffles has released their "Mopiness of Doom" (however complete it is) I feel more motivated to finish this .w.**

* * *

><p>It had been three days since he'd last seen Zim.<p>

Dib had stayed home for the most part, using his arm as a weak excuse to sit in bed all day, surfing the Internet. It was only when he found himself in his underwear, surrounded by cheese poofs and watching videos of kittens playing that he realized how boring his life was without Zim.

"I need to get out more," he sighed, setting aside his laptop and brushing away cheese dust. He sat on the edge of his bed, debating whether or not to pay Zim a visit.

"What am I doing? It's not like we went through a breakup or- oh just shut up," he muttered, grabbing the nearest pair of pants and throwing them on.

"Hey, Dib," Gaz's voice, still softer than normal, came from the hallway. "We need more milk."

"Because you've been eating my cereal," Dib hissed under his breath.

"What was that?" Gaz said, her voice slightly scratchy.

"Nothing, I'll get some milk while I'm out," Dib said, pulling on his shoes and grabbing his trench coat. He walked out into the hallway, passing Gaz, who's recent illness left her looking pale and wan, but no less terrifying.

"Hey, Gaz," Dib asked on a whim, looking over at her. "Do you need anything else?"

"..." She was somewhat stunned by his concern for her, but didn't show it in her face. "Batteries. 32 pack."

"Sure thing," he said, grabbing his wallet as he clomped down the stairs. "I'll be back later."

Gaz watched him leave, still a bit perplexed by his behavior. And although she'd never admit it... grateful.

* * *

><p>Zim was alone in his lab, searching the many archives of Irken history stored in his database. Something, anything to explain to what was happening to him. Why he was feeling these... things. He understood that it was what the humans called 'love'. He'd seen enough romantic comedies with GIR to tell him that. But Irken were not supposed to experience such things. It was widely believed that things like 'love' were eliminated along with traditional reproduction. So why in the heck-?!<p>

"Might I suggest research on the human interwebs?" The computer sighed. "You're not likely to find anything that goes back that far..."

"Hmph. If the humans have anything valuable on the subject, I'll eat my gloves," Zim muttered, reluctantly pulling up a human search engine.

"Alright, let's start with... Love," he said, typing it in. Over seven and a half billion results in the space of about a second popped up on the screen.

"Damn." The computer highlighted a link on the screen for him. "Try this one."

Zim clicked the link, reading the definition that appeared. "**Love** is an emotion of a strong affection and personal attachment." Zim snorted before continuing. "Love is also said to be a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection —'the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another'." [*]

"Sound familiar?" The computer asked.

"Shut up and let me narrow my search," Zim said, scowling and reloading the previous screen. He emptied the search box and began typing. "What... causes... love?" he said, clicking the search button. Millions of results appeared before him, fewer than before, but still making him groan in frustration.

"Try that one," the computer said, highlighting another link. Zim clicked it, reading the article that appeared.

"Damn it, this is about human hormones," he snapped. "How is any of this supposed to help me?!"

"Here, let me try," The computer insisted, returning to the search engine once more. Robotic attachments typed away on the keyboard, pulling up another page of results.

"'How do you know when you're falling in love?'" Zim read aloud, frowning.

"Just go with it," the computer sighed, clicking on a link. A new page popped up, and Zim began reading, his expression unreadable (Other than to wince at the terrible grammar and spelling).

"When he is all you think about.  
>You feel like yourself around him..<br>That no other guy compares to him in your eyes..  
>He is a good honest loyal romantic trustworthy guy..<br>You know if he was not to talk to you again you would be heartbroken..  
>You have a real and true connection with him..<br>No one can change your mind about him.." [**]

"When im falling in love with someone i get the feeling inside me that tells me this is a person i want to spend my life with and they will do anything to make me happy. Falling in love is easy to mistake for just being close friends. Sometimes you just have to wait and make sure its the right person." [**]

"When you're in love, you'll know."

"...I think I've hit the nail on the head here, to use the common Earth phrase," The computer noted, watching his eyes widen.

"...I'm...gonna...I'll be back later," Zim stammered, hopping out of his chair and into the elevator.

The lift began moving with a hum, and Zim slid to the cool metal floor, his face in his hands. His blood was pumping quickly, his breath coming in short pants, making him feel light-headed and dizzy.

"I'm..." he whispered to the empty elevator.

"I'm in love."

* * *

><p><strong>* From Wikipedia<strong>

**** From various pages on Yahoo! Answers**

**^ I actually did go to Google and type this stuff in. See, I'm dedicated!**

**Now that that's out of the way, WOO GO ZIM!**

**Zim: ...Shut up. *blushing***

**Me: Wait, where'd Dib go?**

**Zim: Um... Nowhere?**

**Me: ...I'll let that one slide for now. But ANYWAYS. I have fallen back in love with this story! Expect more when I can think of the next chapter /shot**

**So, R&R?**


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